European Parliament president Antonio Tajani on Friday blasted  those who "are sowing discord by deliberately ignoring laws" during a speech in Spain, as the country grapples with a political crisis over Catalonia's independence drive.

"I think we need to remind ourselves of the importance of respecting the rule of law," he added as the European Union accepted Spain's Princess of Asturias Concord Prize for its work in harmonising relations between its member states.